Birthday Gifts
by BoundLight
Summary: It's the Doctor's birthday and the Master wants to celebrate it. So he does. Cross posted at archive of our own. Doctor/Master


Master centric.

Also, in my last fic you saw Captain Jack as...a right bastard. This is kind of my apology to him. Sort of.

I'm an American. I tried to spell things the British way, but I'm probably going to fail! Sorry!

* * *

You'd think he'd have forgotten after everything that had happened. He'd died, come back, been captured in the time lock and escaped, and yet it was all he could think about. How could he forget? He was a Time Lord. Time ran through his veins, he could taste it in the air, he could never forget the hour, let alone the date. And in three very short months, it would be his Theta Sigma's birthday.

He celebrated it every year, even if the Doctor didn't know it, and this year the drums wanted him to do something different. Or maybe he wanted to do something different. It was so hard to tell which was which any more.

This year he wanted to actually _give_ the Doctor his present.

That set a whole knew standard for him. He couldn't just go to a bar and drink until the memories stopped, he actually had to _do_ something.

He set his TARDIS on auto and sprawled out on the hammock he'd strung up since his last visit to Barcelona. He closed his eyes, and tried to think.

The problem was he really didn't know the Doctor any more. Back when they were children they'd been best friends, and no one had known Theta better, but now he was lucky to get three words in about their respective lives before the Doctor was off thwarting his plots. Really, it was just rude. After all, the Master planned on turning the universe over to the Doctor after he was done conquering it. Ruling required that he actually _care _about his subjects, and that just wasn't his style.

His mind drifted back until the drums were just faint tappings in the background of his subconscious.

He was a child sitting in a full classroom of serious children paying close attention to the professor as he wrote on a levitating board. Or at least, they looked serious. Most were practicing their mental manipulation and pulling subtle pranks on each other while the teacher droned on.

You couldn't be a Time Lord if you couldn't multitask.

He and Theta were different. It was hard to prove guilt of a mental prank, but a physical one was another story entirely. And they were more fun.

They were only caught once.

They managed to reverse the gravity for the entire campus for a full hour. They were only caught because they were the only ones not freaking out. They were in hysterics. They were threatened with expulsion, but luckily the prank had been so impressive they were let off with a warning. As a Time Lord it paid to be impressive.

There were some classes they paid attention in though. Theta would insist they listen to old stories about Time Lord travels to distant stars, and Koschei would pay attention if only to please his friend. Theta's favorite had been the very beginning of any story, when a simulation would spread the universe out at their feet. It would focus on the system, then the star, then they would find the planet and its moons. They would hear the story as they watched the planet gently spin.

He opened his eyes.

The sphere itself would be easy to create, it was the inner workings that would prove troublesome. But that was alright. The Master had all the time in the universe.

For a moment the Master swung, idly considering creating a sphere that would project the universe the Earth occupied. But that would require him to learn all there was about Earth, and he wasn't sure he could suffer that, even for the Doctor. Besides, he'd probably end up trying to conquer the place and wreck the whole project. It would have to be Gallifrey. And wasn't that better? Wasn't the Doctor always complaining about never going back?

The Master jumped to his feet and started a search of the nearby galaxies. He had everything he needed with him, but if he was going to spend all his time on a project he could at least have a good view. It would probably be best if the planet was uninhabited. Maybe one that had plenty of beaches. Something that would have a good sunset.

He found a planet rather quickly – his perimeters weren't all that stringent. This world at three suns, and twelve moons. It experienced a sun rising while a sun was setting every day. That was a sight he could get used to. There was a small population, but it was rather primitive and constantly at war with itself. He was okay with that.

The Master plotted a course, and soon orbited the planet. He did a quick scan and was satisfied with the minimal life he found. He hit a few buttons and soon he stepped out onto a white sanded beach, with a rich purple ocean lapping at the shores. A forest filled with red tipped leaves stood behind him.

He dug feet into the stand and let the suns bathe his face. This was a good choice.

The Master went back into his TARDIS and hunted for the right parts. He couldn't build while sitting in the sand, but he could leave the door open while he worked.

His clever fingers flitted through the parts and worked while his mind drifted in the peace he only ever achieved through creating.

He lost track of the time as his mind planned all the upgrades he could make, all details he could include, all the additional planets the Doctor could choose from, even a user interface...

In the distance the TARDIS chimed.

"Ah!" His hand jerked back, though he was careful not to drop his still fragile structure. The Master frowned at his hand. He'd some how managed to slice his palm wide open, and orange tinted blood coursed down his wrist and dripped onto the metal floor. He swore. "_What?"_

The TARDIS projected the trajectory of the sun, and the Master sighed and strongly considered missing just this one. He eyed the beginnings of his creation. If this project had been for himself he'd keep going but he doubted the Doctor wanted a present soaked in his blood.

He set it down carefully, stood up, found a cloth to wrap his hand in and stepped outside.

The waves crashed against the beach in tandem with the drums, and the Master stretched in the warm light. He felt more relaxed than he had in a long time. He really needed to remember these coordinates.

There was a rustle in the trees behind him.

The Master sighed. Of course. Of all the places on this planet devoid of life he had to find the one island that was inhabited. He really needed to have a word with his TARDIS later.

Several male, vaguely humanoid creatures stepped out from the shadows of the forest onto the beach. Their skin was a natural red that they'd painted with various symbols in white, denoting their names and social statuses. It made for surprisingly effective camouflage. They looked at each other, and then the one marked with leader symbols took an additional step forward. He opened his mouth and emitted a series of high pitched clicks. The Master didn't need it, but the TARDIS translated seamlessly. "Leave."

The Master glanced back at the sea and watched a sun set, then the blinding light along the horizon as a sun rose behind it. "_No_, I don't think so."

A spear appeared in one man's hand and it lodged near the Master's feet.

"Leave."

The Master was highly unimpressed. He pointed his laser screwdriver at the man's chest. "Bad move." There was a loud click as it locked into position. The Master smiled at the familiar whine as it hit the leader square in the chest, knocking him back into the forest, only stopping when he hit the body of a tree with a sharp crack. He didn't get back up.

The Master smirked. "Anyone else?"

The beings looked at their fallen comrade and fled. The Master grinned and turned his attention back to the sun. He stretched his arms above his head languidly and moved until the waves lapped at his feet. He could definitely get used to this.

Once his hand stopped bleeding, the Master returned inside and got back to work. He patted the consul of his TARDIS as he sat back down. "Alert me before you alert me, would you? That was quite rude."

The TARDIS gave a questioning whirr.

He pointed an accusing finger. "You know what I'm talking about. Don't make me send you back to the end of the universe. Or worse, _Earth._"

The Master scowled as the TARDIS cooed at him. She never did take him seriously.

* * *

The Master spent the next several days working. The drums pounded away, and he nodded his head in time with them. Eventually he had to pull a light over and focus his eyes as he worked on the intricate wiring that would be in charge of projecting the image. He wanted to make the setting as real as possible, and that demanded all of his attention.

He'd nearly finished when the TARDIS brushed against his mind.

The Master sat back. His internal clock informed him that he'd skipped the last four meals. The Master brushed it aside. "If that's all you've bothered me for..."

The display turned on, focused on the forest. The Master was able to pick out at least a dozen bodies in the trees. He expected there were more behind them.

"I see." The Master exited the TARDIS and waited.

There was a seconds pause as they took in his sudden appearance, and then they swarmed out to meet him. The Master eyed their rudimentary weapons with disdain. He expected more from a planet that was perpetually fighting. He pulled his laser screwdriver out almost lazily and began firing into the coming mob, easily picking off fighters before they could loose their weapons.

It was actually kind of fun. He laughed as a wide grin cut across his face, and the drums happily beat away, all too willing to quash the natives.

The real fighting began when they reached him. The Master laughed harder, using their own weapons against them, twisting the minds of those closest to him to attack those behind, and soon he was all but dancing through the chaos; killing was almost an afterthought.

It was almost too soon when the new leader called to retreat, and the remaining natives quickly ran to the safety of the forest. Once they no longer posed a threat the Master's mind quieted and he came back to himself. He was covered in blood, though none of it was his own, and he was mildly disappointed that his favorite outfit was ruined. He looked at the bodies sprawled around him. It was actually rather beautiful the way the sun shimmered off their blood. The Master decided to leave them as a warning to others.

He turned back to his TARDIS.

There was a _thunk, _and a spear sank into the side, reverberating slightly from the force. For just a second the side of his TARDIS was visible before it camouflaged itself once more. The Master turned on his heel. "Come on then!"

There was silence from the forest, but the Master could feel them there, watching him.

Eventually one man stepped forward. It was clear from the look on his face that he did not _want_ to step forward, yet it seemed he'd been elected. The Master smirked, democracy at work.

"You must leave. No visitors. This is our island. No one else."

The Master looked rather pointedly at the man's fallen comrades. "And me."

The Master could feel the unrest from the natives waiting in the trees, and the speaker shifted uneasily as he listened to the hurried debate behind him.

The Master leveled a flat look. "This is the only deal you're getting. Unless you'd _like_ to die that is. Then I'd be happy to oblige."

There was silence in the trees. Then the man nodded. "Come."

"No, no. I'm staying right here."

The man looked rather angry at that. "Either you are a part of this village or you are not!"

The Master considered killing him. But he had to admit, he was rather impressed at the anger distorting his face. That, and the beach was going to start to smell rather soon. "Fine."

The man looked like he was going to protest when the Master turned to enter his TARDIS, but he was silenced with a look.

The Master reappeared seconds later on top of a small foothill that overlooked the village wearing a complete change of clothes and sporting a new set of sunglasses. It wasn't that he was trying to show he was above them – although that didn't hurt – it was just that here he wouldn't have to see or hear any of them. He grabbed a few tools and his sphere and got back to work.

Nearly an hour later the TARDIS nudged his mind. The Master glanced up and the villagers he'd seen down on the beach emerged from the forest. They were followed hesitantly by a group of women who were all carrying clay pots.

The Master stood up and drew his laser screwdriver. Almost immediately the villagers stopped and raised their hands in the classic 'don't shoot' gesture. It was clearly unpracticed, but the Master knew they'd get the hang of it eventually, especially if he hung around.

The women took no notice of the men and continued on, until they were standing a few feet from the Master. He considered killing a few to make his point, but his curiosity was warring with his desire to lay waste, and he slowly put the screwdriver down, taking a few steps forward to peer into the pots.

White paint.

The Master frowned at it. "No."

"You must. It is tradition."

"You are not putting any of that ridiculous stuff on my clothes! You've already ruined one outfit, you're not ruining another!"

One of the women had managed to get behind him, and she started tugging at his shirt. The Master shoved her away, only to have another tug. He struggled against her, but eventually they overwhelmed him and managed to pull his shirt up over his head and down off his arms.

They seemed rather surprised at what they found beneath his shirt – he was no where near as built as some of the males he'd slaughtered on the beach. He didn't like to acknowledge feeling anything other than superior, but a small dark self-conscious part of his mind shouted his inadequacies loud amongst the drum beat. The Master scowled, and the spell was broken. He reached for his shirt, and his hand was slapped away. One of the women scolded him like he was a child. "It is _tradition_."

Then their hands were on him, painting intricate symbols onto his skin. The Master swore rather colourfully in a number of different languages, but his glare quickly transformed into a grin when he saw what they wrote. _Danger – Warning – Avoid – Danger._ In place of his name they wrote _Death. _He giggled, drawing a few fearful looks, suddenly totally alright with the situation.

When they were finished symbols traced his lightly defined muscles, racing up his arms, down his chest, and across the span of his back. He wouldn't admit it, but he actually rather liked it. He hardly noticed his artists heed the advice they'd decorated him with, slipping away quickly and quietly, the men following after.

* * *

His time was nearly up. The Doctor's birthday in a few days. He'd gotten the sphere completed rather quickly all things considered. The majority of the time had been programing. He'd spent the better part of the last two months on it, stopping only occasionally to eat, even less often to sleep, and only twice to kill whatever person among the natives still thought it was a good idea to throw a spear at him. They'd learned quickly, though he could still occasionally feel someone watching him. He kept his laser screwdriver within easy reach at all times.

Now it was time for a test run. It wasn't that he doubted himself in any way, but it would be rather awkward if the sphere malfunctioned.

He stood up and held it gently between his hands. His fingers found the right grooves, and then light raced through the seems, and it rose up. It spun around once, twice, and then shot out blackness all above, below, and around him, littered with the pinpricks of stars, until it felt like he was standing in the empty void of space.

It was the universe of his youth, back before the drums, when life was beautiful and limitless. It was hard to feel nostalgic about a place that had literally driven him insane, and had more recently captured and tried to kill him, but he felt it nonetheless.

He brought up a hand and selected the Kasterborous constellation, and when it zoomed in tight he twisted it round until he could select Gallifrey. The planet and its moons circled around him and then he was falling through the atmosphere blindingly fast until he was standing in the red grass beneath the burnt orange sky. Off to his right he could see the Capital encased in glass, and off to the left Mount Perdition. He looked carefully at his surroundings making sure it looked as real as possible, down to the random insects buzzing about.

He touched a stalk of grass.

The air simmered, and a young Theta Sigma appeared wearing the standard Time Lord robes. He would have dressed his friend in the ridiculous thing he wore whenever they snuck out of school, but that seemed a little too personal.

Theta smiled. "Grass. Monocotyledonous –"

"Mute."

"Would you like to save this setting?"

"No."

"Acknowledged."

The Master frowned. The language was nothing like what Theta would say, but at the same time he'd designed the boy to be a user interface not a companion. Still. He brought up a hand and selected Theta. A new screen came up, and the Master spent the next several hours reprogramming.

When he stepped back Theta flickered out. The Master selected the grass and he reappeared.

"You know what grass is," Theta teased.

"Indulge me."

"That's boring. Come on! Let me show you around!" Theta grinned brightly, and took off running.

Better.

He closed the hologram and rolled the sphere thoughtfully in his hands. It was as good as it was going to get. Maybe if he had another six months or so he could make the weather interactive. He could make more options for the user interface... give the Doctor their whole class to choose from...

But he knew he was just delaying the inevitable. And cowardice wasn't something he encouraged in himself.

He packed up, and left.

* * *

It didn't take long to find the Doctor. The man was never very good at masking his presence.

The TARDIS materialized in an alley outside a small pub in an even smaller town. He knew the Doctor was there. The Master shrugged on a hoodie and tucked the present inside its pocket. He took a breath and stepped outside.

It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness. He could hear laughter and the clinking of glasses. He pulled the door and stepped inside.

He could hear the Doctor's laugh clearly now. He was sitting at a table in the back surrounded by a pile of neatly wrapped presents. He recognized a few of the Doctor's pets with him, but there were a few he didn't recognize. Jack sat in the middle retelling some story that, from the blush on the females cheeks, was probably rather vulgar. He'd expect nothing less from the good Captain.

This was a bad idea. He considered giving up on this venture and quickly returning outside before anyone spotted him.

But the sphere felt heavy in his pocket, urging him forward.

He stepped further in, walking past the bar, and edging around a few tables filled with over enthusiastic patrons. One man threw out his arm as the Master walked past, splashing a bit of beer on the Master's shoes. The Master rolled his eyes and pushed on.

Martha noticed him first. Her face stilled, drew down.

The Master grinned. You can always tell a job well done from the faces of those who were there with you. Martha's face screamed that he nailed it. Of course, the rather manic grin always made him look a bit mental. Her voice rang out, too high pitched, laced with fear. "Doctor!"

All of the companions looked up, and instantly the laughter and smiles were gone.

The Doctor looked a bit uncertain, and the Master glowered. He almost turned back, but the drums forced him to move forward. He'd put far too much work in this to stop now.

He finished the trip to the table, stopping at the Doctor's right. His eyes traced over each companion in turn, lingering on Martha.

"Master?"

The Master's eyes snapped back to the Doctor. He pulled his gift out of his pocket. As an afterthought he'd placed it in a box and wrapped it in neon pink paper. He set it on the table and walked away, edging carefully around the man he was convinced had a death wish.

He didn't look back.

* * *

They all stared at the garishly wrapped package.

"You can't open that here," Jack said. "It might explode."

Clara frowned at the door. "He looked so sad..."

The Doctor forced a smile and grabbed the package, stuffing it in his pocket. "So where'd he hide the banana then? Always have a banana I always say. Never know when it might come in handy."

It wasn't the most graceful conversation changer, but his companions accepted it nonetheless.

Gradually the evening took on its usual route. The Doctor tried to look like he was enjoying himself, but he felt the Master's absence rather keenly.

The party went on until almost 4am, but the more they drank, the more the conversation came back to the Master, and what he could have possibly have given the Doctor. The package burned in the Doctor's pocket. He was curious too.

At 6am he finally gave in.

They stumbled out of the pub and towards the beach on the outskirts of town. When the lights were just pinpricks, the Doctor pulled the package out of his pocket. He tore the paper off and opened the box. And froze.

"What is it?" Amy asked, peering over the Doctor's shoulder.

The Doctor lifted it out, the sphere unnaturally heavy in his hand. His fingers found the grooves, and then the sphere lit up the dark night before encasing them all in darkness.

The universe spread out before them. The Doctor recognized where they were instantly. His hearts beat faster. He made the right selections, and soon Gallifrey turned in front of him.

"Is that...?"

The Doctor nodded. He could watch Gallifrey for hours. It was beautiful.

Then suddenly they were falling. Before the Doctor could panic they were on the ground, and Gallifrey spread out around him. "Oh..." Tears pricked at his eyes. "Oh, my."

"Doctor, is this... Gallifrey?" Martha asked.

"Yes."

She brushed her hand through the red grass. "It's beautiful."

The air shimmered and then a young boy stood with them. The Doctor turned and saw himself.

"Hello!" The child said. "Would you like to set your user preferences?"

Amy smiled at the small boy. "And who are you, then?"

The boy smiled hugely. "I'm Theta Sigma, your user interface! Would you like to explore on your own, or would you like to select your destination?"

"Oh!" Amy pointed at the city beneath the glass. "There!"

"No!" Martha said, indignantly. "Let's see the Doctor's house!"

"There's no reason we can't see both," the Doctor said. "Capitol first?"

Theta nodded, and their surroundings morphed until they were standing in the middle of a street in the heart of the Capitol. Every building was exactly the way the Doctor remembered, down to the last detail. He had no idea how the Master had created something so perfect.

"The Capitol is home to 8,336,697 Time Lords. It is currently led by President Rassilon. There are several museums, one for space/time, one for art from across the galaxies, one for creatures great and small, and one for war. There are several libraries, one prison, and a university. Would you like to visit any of these locations?"

"Time Lords have prisons?" Jack asked. "I thought you were... more evolved."

The Doctor shrugged. "There are bad people no matter the species."

Theta nodded. "There are four well known prisons across Gallifrey, which focus on hard labor for the benefit of Time Lord technology. There is one prison located here in the Capitol set aside for political prisoners. Would you like to visit a prison?"

"I wonder how long the Master spent there." Jack mused.

"I do not have that information at this time." Theta answered.

"Who cares about prisons," Martha said, "Let's go see the museum."

"We're on Gallifrey and you want to go to a museum?" Amy said. "Let's go see something unique!"

"Like what?" Rory asked.

"Didn't Martha say something about the Doctor's home?"

Theta looked to the Doctor for confirmation, then transported them to a tidy manor. The Doctor remained out front watching the silver leaves and snow capped mountains as his companions ventured within. The Doctor didn't need to see it to know that it was perfect. Everything had been.

There was a flicker and Theta stood next to him. "Happy birthday."

The Doctor smiled, and then fell back until he was on his back staring at the sky.

* * *

The Master returned to his island.

He shed his shirt, grabbed a bathing suit, and headed out towards the beach. The bodies were gone – which was mildly disappointing – but the sand was warm and the water was cool. He settled back and napped in the sun. The tan was going to be weird around the paint, but worth it.

He woke up to a rhythmic whirr.

The Master sat up and glared sleepily at the Doctor's materializing TARDIS.

He didn't have to wait long for the Doctor to come bounding out. His companions remained near the doors.

"Master!"

The Master wondered if running away was a viable option.

Before he could get to his feet the Doctor was on top of him, pressing him into the sand.

"Get off–"

The Doctor silenced him with a kiss. The Master shoved at him, but the Doctor refused to be budged. His tongue licked at the Master's lips until he was granted access, and then he took full advantage, exploring the Master's mouth as thoroughly as possible. The Master fought him for dominance, but the Doctor, to his surprise, easily overwhelmed him.

The Master squirmed as the Doctor's hands skated down his chest, figuring curiously at the painted marks on his body. They came to rest against his wrists, cradling the delicate bones in his hands.

The Doctor only pulled back once even his bypass had failed.

The Master tried to hide the rapid beating of his hearts, and the heaviness of his breathing. He was sure he wasn't fooling the Doctor.

The open affection marring the Doctor's face made him shift uncomfortably. "Oh, _Doctor_," his voice was laced with venom, "what would your pets think?"

"That it's hot? Like really, really hot." The Master's head jerked to the side. Jack waved. "Please don't stop on my account. Unless you'd like me to join that is."

Amy raised her hand. "That sounds like a fantastic plan."

Martha nodded enthusiastically. Rory looked a bit scared.

"_No_." The Master snarled.

The Doctor giggled and kissed him again.

The Master's eyes closed and he forgot about the spectators.

The Doctor's knee slipped between the Master's legs, and the Master arched up languidly.

"Should we be watching this?" Martha whispered.

"_Shh!_" Jack hissed.

The Master growled and bit the Doctor in retaliation. The Doctor only smiled, much to the Master's annoyance.

"Nice island you've got here." The Doctor whispered against the Master's lips.

The Master grinned. "You should meet the locals."

"Thank you for the gift."

The Master leaned up and captured his lips.

It was most certainly worth it.

* * *

I've had this idea for a while, but it was harder to write than I anticipated! I hope you liked it!


End file.
